Chafe (Verb)
Meaning 1
Cause friction; "my sweater scratches".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The tight collar of his shirt chafed against his neck all day at work.
- Her new shoes chafe her heels every time she wears them.
- The straps of his backpack chafe his shoulders when he's carrying heavy loads.
- Wearing a tie too tightly can chafe the skin on your neck.
- The rough fabric of the seat chafes against her skin when she's driving.
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Meaning 2
Feel extreme irritation or anger; "He was chafing at her suggestion that he stay at home while she went on a vacation".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- She was chafing at the criticism from her boss and couldn't wait to talk it out with him.
- The politician chafed at the media's constant scrutiny of his personal life.
- He was chafing at being confined to his small apartment during the prolonged lockdown.
- The rebel in her chafed at the strict rules of the boarding school she attended.
- The young artist chafed at the commercialism of the gallery that rejected her work.
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading; "This leash chafes the dog's neck".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The rough rope chafed the sailor's hands as he pulled the boat towards the shore.
- The baby's skin chafed from the ill-fitting diaper, causing discomfort and redness.
- The athlete's shoes chafed against her blistered heel during the long run.
- The velvet dress chafed her shoulders, rubbing uncomfortably against her skin as she moved.
- The leash chafed the puppy's neck as it pulled strongly on the walk.
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Meaning 4
Warm by rubbing, as with the hands.
Classification
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..
Examples
- She chafed her chilled fingers together to warm them up before putting on her gloves.
- The homeless man was seen on the street corner chafing his hands to keep the blood flowing on a cold winter night.
- As she stood outside in the freezing weather, she began to chafe her arms in an attempt to regain some warmth.
- After being in the icy water for a while, John started to chafe his skin to try and get some feeling back in his limbs.
- The hikers stopped to chafe their cold legs before continuing on with their journey through the snow.
Related Words
Meaning 5
Become or make sore by or as if by rubbing.
Classification
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling.
Examples
- The tight shoes started to chafe my feet by the end of the hike.
- The backpack strap chafed against her shoulder, causing a painful blister.
- His skin began to chafe from the rough fabric of the wool sweater.
- Continuous rubbing from the cast caused her skin to chafe and become raw.
- The ropes chafed the wooden beam as they rubbed against it during the rescue.
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Meaning 6
Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations; "Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me"; "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- The sound of fingernails on the chalkboard really chafes me.
- It chafes her that he never remembers her birthday.
- Her constant complaining chafes him and he tries to avoid her.
- Not being able to find a parking spot for hours always chafes me.
- It chafes him that his coworkers disrupt him while he's working on a deadline.